Metallica Break Out the Hits During Vancouver Filming for 3D Concert Movie

Metallica filmed their 3D concerts for their upcoming film in Vancouver, Canada, adding a third show on Aug. 27 with a $5 ticket price and a condition. It was certainly not your average Metallica concert, as cameras and drum kits were moved between each song to accommodate the shooting of extra footage and close-ups to grab the imagery needed for the film. Despite that seeming annoyance and obstructed view, fans would be rewarded with something even more nvaluable, as pointed out by frontman James Hetfield.

‘It’s gonna be a very special night, where we’re doing some extra filming,’ Hetfield said, according to Rolling Stone. ‘If you’re lucky enough, you might get your beautiful face in the movie. There’s gonna be lots of stops and starts – it is gonna be really loose.” Essentially, it was like being an extra in a thoroughly metallic movie.

The sets changed throughout the concert. Some cool highlights? Pools of blood spreading under the band’s feet on LED screens during the opener ‘Creeping Death.’ And pyro. Lots of pyro. Like a dozen bursts, each 20 feet tall and 10 feet wide, during ‘Fuel.’ Fans in the pit and in the first 10 rows reportedly experienced singed eyebrows as a result of the flames. Again, that’s small price to pay to be that close to ‘Tallica and for a chance to live in infamy and to be a part of the band’s history by being in the film!

Other incredibly cool elements of the show? Well, a total of 12 coffins also floated above the stage, each with images, like entombed bodies and flame-throwers, within. During ‘One,’ a simulated battleground was created. This 3D film is going to be some spectacle, judging from these descriptions.

There were a few unplanned malfunctions — there are scripted ones that are part of the run of show, like crew members faking injuries — during the night, such as pyro misfires and a 3D camera dropping and narrowly missing fans. Thankfully there were no major dramas on that front.

As for the tunes themselves, Metallica delivered an 18-song set that was jam-packed with hits from ‘Creeping Death’ to ‘Master of Puppets’ to ‘Enter Sandman.’